The Mobile Hospital: Care in the Comfort of Home
LiiSa, the mobile hospital, provides round-the-clock assistance across the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County. Specializing in urgent care, this unit serves elderly individuals in 24/7 residential facilities as well as home care clients.
In early 2024, the home hospital services in Lohja and Raseborg transitioned from HUS to our Wellbeing Services County, expanding the mobile hospital’s reach to all 10 municipalities in Western Uusimaa. The home hospital provides care equivalent to that of a hospital setting, but delivered in the patient’s own home, service home, or nursing home. This service is designed to alleviate the burden on inpatient wards, reserving space for those most in need. The mobile hospital works seamlessly in cooperation with the home hospital services.
”The mind stays active and I can sleep in my own bed.”
Mikael Eklund, 57, speaks highly of his experiences with the Kirkkonummi home hospital. He has received care from the home hospital numerous times due to erysipelas, a bacterial skin infection.
Treatment for this condition requires intravenous antibiotics every eight hours. He felt it was unnecessary and frustrating to be confined to a hospital bed when there was no other treatment required between the medication administrations.
“In my experience, recovery is significantly faster and more effective at home. The mind stays active, and I can sleep in my own bed,” he adds.
In LiiSa’s operational model, a nurse from the home hospital visits the patient at their home or nursing home to evaluate their care needs. Treatment can be initiated on-site, eliminating the need to transport the patient to the emergency department first. The mobile unit LiiSa is summoned by a professional from a nursing home or a home care specialist.
Susanna Vanhanen, the head nurse at the Espoo home hospital, underscores that LiiSa’s operational philosophy always places the patient at the forefront.
“The mobile hospital offers a range of benefits to patients. Rehabilitation and healing can commence more quickly in a home setting due to the lower risk of infection. It’s also crucial that LiiSa’s services are accessible 24/7. Many issues can be resolved during a phone call when a nursing home or home care employee contacts LiiSa.”
Freeing up resources for urgent needs
Studies have confirmed that LiiSa's availability reduces non-urgent operations in nursing homes.
“In the elderly population, conditions often deteriorate gradually over an extended period of time. Often, there isn’t a single, identifiable event that prompts staff to consider transferring the patient to the emergency department. As a result, patients rarely have an urgent need for first aid. With LiiSa readily available, paramedics can focus on urgent cases, freeing up their time from non-urgent tasks.”
Susanna Vanhanen also highlights the exceptional end-of-life care provided by LiiSa.
According to Mikael Eklund, the suitability of home hospital care depends on the patient’s functional capacity.
Eklund likens the hospital bed to a couch: it’s easier to lie down than to get up.
“When you’re lying there for a long time, it can be difficult to get up. It’s so easy to just get stuck there. I think it would be beneficial to encourage seniors to exercise, go outside, and engage in activities. Being active enhances energy and liveliness.”